190-195 kg depending on version weighed my 950 empty.
Regardless of the end result, I think Varaderon are enjoyable bar experience when it is finished. Probable is that very few firefighters who will run it ... Or even see it run ... because the owner driving way too fast for it :)
Seriously ... please come to my aid, I think we all need it in any form whatsoever and I want to do it in somewhat right direction .... The saw is ready, it is widely used at times, a little too frequently maybe .... But not on the bike then!Honda engine weighs 67-72 kg
Ktm engine weighs 56-62 kg Depending of what different manufacturers choose is the engine! This is not my information.

Glad to have you with me here, the project is exciting, this is the first Honda I own and of course I have a lot of negative perceptions of the subject Honda, overly safe and secure, a lot of unnecessary things, heavy and troublesome. But I may change my mind, at least in terms of this model of Varaderon, after rigorous tests in the forest, it has been very surprising.

More pictures during construction will if you want it.

__________________
"IP-Rider"
Is there life before death ... I believe that.... RW Offroad

Wait a sec...Honda motor on photo that's RC51 VTR1000. Totally different motor, not a single common part. Gears driven shafts.

Firestorm derived Vara engine is tad lighter.

Varadero engine is based on the Firestorm engine, thats right, but it isn't lighter! It is detuned: less BHP, more torque at lower Reffs than the Firestorm engine. The architecture of both engines is however, similar and based on the same platform.

Varadero engine is based on the Firestorm engine, thats right, but it isn't lighter! It is detuned: less BHP, more torque at lower Reffs than the Firestorm engine. The architecture of both engines is however, similar and based on the same platform.

This is not what I said. I said that photo shows RC51 engine that have nothing in common with Firestorm or Varadero. RC51 is vtr1000 without f. It is totally different bike and it have a bit heavier motor.

Last weekend, after a winter which lasted too long, I took the Varadero out for its first ride this year.

Just a short stretch of about 220 km, testing the new Dero and my new Nikon remote control. Enjoy!

Start of the tour in our province capital city Groningen with its famous landmark on the background: "The Old Grey" (D'Oale Grieze), the bell tower of the Martini Church.

In Groningen Province we don't do Whiskey or beers. We do a proper Gin (Jenever) and the best of all comes from Groningen: the Hooghoudt distillery just outside Groningen city. Hooghoudt means 'High Timber' which is a small, pedestrian wooden bridge over the channels.

The 15th century church of Noordlaren, on the shores of Lake Zuidlaren (Zuidlaardermeer)

Passing the border between the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe from Noordlaren to Midlaren, you will pass the oldest tree of Drenthe; estimated on a staggering 1.500 years!

One of the 35 ancient burial sites for which Drenthe province is famous; dating back 5.000 years BC and so older than the Egypt Pyramids and Stonehenge! They are all public accessible; this one lies near the villages of Taarlo and Loon. The largest one lies near the village of Borger.

Its about time for spring to kick'in!

Village of Anderen, where you will find the oldest thached farmhouses of North West Europe, dating back to the 13th century and typical for Drenthe Province. The material used for thaching is in the Netherlands normally water-reed, harvested in wintertime when the lakes are frozen solid.

Near the Dwingeloo radio telescope, on the edge of the Dwingelderveld National Park (the largest wet heathland in Western Europe), the use of mobile phones is strictly forbidden. There is even an official roadsign!

At the Radio telescope (RT). Build in 1956, and based on a old German 'radarspiegel' it was declared a top 100 National Monument of Sience in 2009. It was the first- and largest fully movable RT in its days. The RT has undergone a € 2.000.000,- restoration in late 2012 and is fully operational.

Nice pics! Which remote control (and cam) do you use?
I like the scenery.

Greetz

Arktus

Camera is rather ancient, Arktus... I can't get close to your excellent photography! I always use 3: Maincamera is a Nikon D80 with wide angle, 2nd is a Nikon D70S with 300mm tele, and for snapshots a Sony compact. I use the Sony cause I think the colours are better translated on the footage.

The remote was a try-out which I borrowed from a friend. Forgot the brand, but it wasn't a Nikon, something universal.

I'm planning to get my own remote, though cause when riding alone, it does work excellent. I was impressed, especially when shooting pics when riding (cam on tripot) and the timer put on 10 seconds.

Problem is distance. The remote I borrowed, only works within a 3 meter radius from the cam... I'm looking for a remote with a slightly larger radius, up to 5-10 meters.

thanks for the info.
I´m looking for a good remote too and hoped you discovered a good one with a larger range. My timing is sometimes "suboptimal", so i only see parts of the target or ... just a nice landscape without a bike.

thanks for the info.
I´m looking for a good remote too and hoped you discovered a good one with a larger range. My timing is sometimes "suboptimal", so i only see parts of the target or ... just a nice landscape without a bike.

I think you're up to something very interesting, but you know it already
What do you plan to do with the rear shock to match front travel?
Also, do you happen to know where the additional weight of the later varadero generations comes from?
I am very inspired by your project and going to copy as soon as I find time and funds, but was thinking to start from the FI model.

How is turn radius with those forks? Couple of my friends with upgrades to their (different) bikes using KTM forks ran into that problem big time...hence the question....

Yes you and your friends are right again, it's crowded, but I'm not afraid and will heat the lower frame tubes that go up to the steering head and squeeze, making two small dents in them, (in the right tube is already an original dent ) one in each tube, where the fork legs fit, then I win the last about 10 mm on each side. The two upper pipes are inside the lower tubes so they can remain untouched. Now it's marginal cases and I like the large steering angle. This is no a KTM fork, it's a Marzocchi shiver 45/270 from a 630 Husqvarna TE 2011, and the fork crowns has probably more "försprĺng (SE)" orginal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousitsas

What do you plan to do with the rear shock to match front travel?
Also, do you happen to know where the additional weight of the later varadero generations comes from?
I am very inspired by your project and going to copy as soon as I find time and funds, but was thinking to start from the FI model.

First question: You will see everything on the picture later.
Second question: Because we bike riders are lazy, so experiencing all bike manufacturers that they should and want to compensate for this. In order to sell as many bikes as possible. Even to people who will never be able to run the bike even with auto pilot. But they sell.
That's why I do this! there is not a single fully fledged big offroad bike to buy new today, with long service intervals, Hysky 630 TE 2010-2011 was the last with 270 mm front and 320 mm rear. All manufacturers have abandoned us ..... 1 Because we are too few second We throw warranty book in the trash at the seller, and they see us never again :) We buy parts on E-Bay and serves everything ourselves. We are not good customers. So manufacturers reduce the suspension, install the ABS and other shit that weigh tons, all to sell as much as possible. The 40 kg you are asking about is probably ABS, a gear shift more (6), anti-spin, etc. + when all of this is mounted on the bike, everything must resist a bit more and are therefore a bit stronger and heavier. There you have your 40 kg
KTM builds a nearly Offroad still 690 R 2 012 270 mm and this year 250 mm again ... So we have no choice ..... But it is good I think ..... I learn a lot, have fun and gets many new friends!

Ha de LL or GB

__________________
"IP-Rider"
Is there life before death ... I believe that.... RW Offroad